[Zygomycosis: review of 16 cases].

BACKGROUND: Zygomycosis (mucormycosis or phycomycosis) is the infection caused by zygomycetes (non partitioned mycelial fungi, usually saprophytes). All cases of zygomycosis diagnosed in the Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Spain, from 1976 to 1994 were reviewed. METHODS: The underlying diseases of the patients, the factors favoring infection (alteration of the cutaneous barrier and administration of antimicrobians and corticosteroids) and the possible nosocomial origin of infection were analyzed. RESULTS: Over this period of time, 16 cases of zygomycosis were diagnosed with different clinical forms depending on the route of entry (rhino-orbital-cerebral, cutaneous or disseminated). The species isolated were Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizomucor pusillus, Absidia corymbifera and Rhizopus stolonifer. The species could not be determined in two cases. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of zygomycosis should be based on a combined histological and microbiological study which allows both, differentiation between colonization and infection and isolation of the implicated species. Treatment is that of the underlying diseases, extensive surgical resection and amphotericin B.